Alfred Hitchcock Tarot
Alfred Hitchcock
Film
78 cards + a smaller, blue title card noting that this is #32 out of a limited edition of 100. Contained in a sturdy, two-part lidded box, and accompanied by a 233 page softcover companion book.<br /><br />The cards are larger than average, measuring 5.75 inches tall x 3.5 inches wide. The card stock is marvelously flexible, with a smooth matte finish.<br /><br />The card backs are fully reversible.<br /><br />Strength is 8 and Justice is 11. The Fool is numbered 0.<br /><br />Suits are Clubs, Cups, Knives, and Gems. Clubs seem to be equivalent to Wands, and Gems are equivalent to Pentacles. <br /><br />Court cards are Character Actor (<em>Page</em>), Co-Star (<em>Knight</em>), Leading Lady (<em>Queen</em>), and Leading Man (<em>King</em>).<br /><br />The minor arcana are scenic insofar as the collage art style permits.<br /><br />The companion book is curious in that there's no introduction from the author/artist, nor is there a title page with author or publication information. Instead, the book showcases the creator's extensive knowledge of Alfred Hitchcock's films, explaining each card in detail, including a lot of background information.<br /><br />The creator's name, Chris Leech, does not appear on the deck, the title/edition card, the packaging, or the companion book. He is credited by name as the creator, however, in the Kickstarter campaign information.<br /><br />This deck was initially marketed and funding via a Kickstarter campaign in 2019. I was a backer at the $67 CAD level.
Leech, Chris
<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/welkin/the-alfred-hitchcock-tarot/description" target="_blank" title="Kickstarter campaign" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alfred Hitchcock Tarot - Kickstarter Campaign</a>
Welkin Tarot
2019
<em>The Alfred Hitchcock Tarot</em> (softcover companion book), ISBN 978-0-46-405074-2
78 cards
English
Other
#32 of 100
Golden Age of Horror Tarot
Horror comics -- 20th century
78 cards in a generic white cardboard tuck box with a see-through panel on the front. No title card. A printed slip of paper containing a note of thanks was included with the package.<br /><br />The cards measure 12 cm tall x 7 cm wide.<br /><br />The cardstock is very flexible, with a smooth matte finish.<br /><br />Strength is 8 and Justice is 11. The Fool is numbered 0.<br /><br />Suits are Wands, Pentacles, Swords, and Cups. Court cards are Page, Knight, Queen, and King.<br /><br />The card backs are non-reversible.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the digital collage art seems to have been stretched out of proportion, perhaps during the layout and printing process. The art is already quite busy; the distortion renders the deck unreadable for me.<br /><br />This deck was originally marketed and funded via Kickstarter. I was a backer of the campaign at the $28 level (for one copy of the deck). The deck is currently offered for sale in the creator's Etsy shop.
Alexander, Bobby
<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1468389582/tarot-card-deck-based-on-golden-age-of-horror-comi" target="_blank" title="Kickstarter Campaign" rel="noreferrer noopener">Golden Age of Horror Tarot -- Kickstarter Campaign</a>
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/bobbystarotdecks" target="_blank" title="Etsy" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bobby's Tarot Decks -- Etsy shop</a>
Self-published
2019
78 cards
English
Other
Library Tarot
Libraries
Librarians
23 major arcana + 5 additional cards in a thin, cardboard tuck box.<br /><br />Cards measure 12 cm tall x 7 cm wide. <br /><br />The card stock is very flexible, with a linen textured finish. <br /><br />The card backs are fully reversible. <br /><br />The art is clearly influenced by the Rider-Waite-Smith, yet it isn't attempting to clone the RWS. Each card is set in a library-related scene, and the cards have been retitled in keeping with the overall theme. For example, The Tower has become The Stacks, and The World has become The Collection.<br /><br />Kindness (<em>Strength</em>) is VIII is and Equal Access (<em>Justice</em>) is XI. The Nincompoops (<em>Fool</em>) is numbered 0.<br /><span><br />An alternate version of the Wheel of Fortune card is included, named the Wheel of Misfortune. Hence, the deck includes 23 major arcana instead of the usual 22. <br /><br />In addition to the 23 majors, there are 5 additional cards titled The Questioner, Conspiracy Theorist, The Mis-Printer, Enthusiasm, and The Series Hunter. These cards aren't numbered; rather, asterisks are used in lieu of numbers.<br /><br />This deck was initially marketed and funded through a Kickstarter campaign, and was also marketed on social media. There was also <a href="http://librarycomic.com/custom-library-tarot-contest/" target="_blank" title="Library Tarot contest" rel="noreferrer noopener">a limited-time contest</a> for library staff, the winner of which would receive a special customized deck featuring themself plus two colleagues. (I do not know who won the contest.)<br /><br />More information about the creator, Gene Ambaum, can be found <a href="http://librarycomic.com/about/" target="_blank" title="Information about Gene Ambaum" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.</span>
Ambaum, Gene
<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ambaum/the-library-tarot" target="_blank" title="Library Tarot Kickstarter" rel="noreferrer noopener">Library Tarot -- Kickstarter Campaign</a>
Library Comic
2019
28 cards
English
RWS
Slow Tarot
Art
Oil painting
78 cards + small guidebook/LWB in a sturdy, 2-part lidded cardboard box. <br /><br />Cards measure 12 cm tall x 7 cm wide.<br /><br />The card stock has a linen finish and is almost slippery to handle, but easy to shuffle. To my eye, the linen finish is slightly to the detriment of the beautiful art, based on the creator's own oil paintings. The details would have looked better with a non-textured card finish. <br /><br />The card backs are fully reversible.<br /><br />Strength is VIII and Balance (i.e. <em>Justice</em>) is XI. The Fool is numbered 0. Most of the majors follow the naming conventions of the RWS, but a few are retitled. <br /><br />Suits are Wands, Cups, Coins, and Swords. Courts are King, Queen, Knight, and Page. The minor arcana are fully scenic in the RWS tradition, yet by no means is this a clone.<br /><br />The bottom of the box does not contain an ISBN, but there is a barcode. No date appears on the cards, but the box notes that this is the First edition, April 2019. The accompanying guidebook/LWB is also dated April 2019.<br /><br />This is one of the most uniquely beautiful and useable new tarot decks I've encountered in a while. I highly recommend it to collectors and readers who enjoy reading with RWS style decks, but who want something new and fresh and evocative from a highly talented artist.<br /><br />This deck was first funded and marketed via a Kickstarter campaign in 2019, and is currently available for sale (<em>at the time of this writing, in January 2020</em>) for $50.00 USD from the <a href="https://www.moderneden.com/products/the-slow-tarot" target="_blank" title="Modern Eden Gallery" rel="noreferrer noopener">Modern Eden Gallery website</a>.
Bryant, Lacey
<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/moderneden/the-slow-tarot-by-lacey-bryant" target="_blank" title="The Slow Tarot - Kickstarter Campaign" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Slow Tarot - Kickstarter Campaign</a>
<a href="https://www.moderneden.com/products/the-slow-tarot" target="_blank" title="The Slow Tarot - Modern Eden Gallery" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Slow Tarot - Modern Eden Gallery</a>
<a href="https://www.laceybryant.com/" target="_blank" title="Lacey Bryant's website" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lacey Bryant's website</a>
Modern Eden
2019
78 cards
English
RWS
1st edition, April 2019
Lay of the Nine Worlds Tarot
Norse mythology
78 cards in a two-part, lidded tin. The bottom of the tin is signed by the artist, and numbered 129/500. There's no title card.<br /><br />Cards measure 12 cm tall x 7 cm wide. <br /><br />The card stock is flexible, with a smooth matte finish. The cards have gold gilt edging that is nicer than most -- slightly textured edging instead of the sticky, shiny gold edging that is found on many other decks.<br /><br />Strength is 8 and Justice is 11. The Fool is numbered 0.<br /><br />Suits are Coins, Cups, Swords, and Wands. Court cards are Page, Queen, King, and Queen.<br /><br />The card backs are non-reversible.<br /><br />The minor arcana are fully scenic, and influenced by the RWS.<br /><br />This deck was first marketed on <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/83645560/the-lay-of-nine-worlds-a-norse-tarot-deck/description" target="_blank" title="Kickstarter campaign" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kickstarter</a>; I was a backer of the deck with a $54 pledge. Along with my copy of the deck, I received 2 stickers and a handwritten, signed note card from the artist (enclosed inside a small, plain brown envelope). <br /><br />According to the Kickstarter information, the deck (at the level I pledged) was accompanied by a companion booklet. At present, while I'm writing this (Jan. 12, 2020), I can't find the booklet. I suspect I already placed it on a different shelf -- if I find it later, I will update this entry.
Dwiggins, Jeremy
<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/83645560/the-lay-of-nine-worlds-a-norse-tarot-deck/description" target="_blank" title="Kickstarter campaign" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kickstarter campaign</a>
Self-published
2019
78 cards
English
RWS
#129 of 500
Tarot of the Unknown
"Over the Garden Wall" (TV series)
79 cards + an informational card with a small guidebook in a flip-top cardboard box with a magnetic closure. The deck also shipped with a few extras including stickers and a notecard with an enamel pin. <br /><br />The inside of the box lid is signed by the artist.<br /><br />Cards measure 4.75 in tall x 2.75 in wide.<br /><br />The cards have shiny gold gilt edging. The card stock is somewhat stiff (though still flexible enough to be shuffled), with a glossy finish.<br /><br />The deck takes its inspiration and its characters from the 2014 animated TV series, "<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3718778/" target="_blank" title="Over the Garden Wall on IMDB" rel="noreferrer noopener">Over the Garden Wall</a>."<br /><br />Strength (<em>Auntie Whispers</em>) is VIII and Justice is XI. The Fool (<em>The Greg</em>) is numbered 0.<br /><br />Two versions of The Magician card are included; The Wirt (one of the main characters from the TV series) and The Chris (the deck artist's self-portrait).<br /><br />Suits are Axes (<em>Swords</em>), Pentacles, Wands, and Cups. Court cards are Page, Knight, Queen, and King. <br /><br />The card backs are fully reversible.<br /><br />The minors are fully scenic, melding RWS scenes with "<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3718778/" target="_blank" title="Over the Garden Wall on IMDB" rel="noreferrer noopener">Over the Garden Wall</a>" characters and plot points.<br /><br />This deck was initially marketed and funded through Kickstarter. I was a backer of the campaign at the $50 level (for one signed copy of the deck).<br /><br />On a personal note, this is one of the most charming, consistent, thoughtful "themed" takes on the RWS that I've seen. <br /><br />Also, "Over the Garden Wall" is the most delightful, magical animated series I've ever watched, so if you haven't seen it, what are you waiting for? (It's worth buying if it isn't currently available on your streaming service of choice.)
Smith, Chris
<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/whenwordsfail/tarot-of-the-unknown-a-78-card-cartoon-inspired-deck/description" target="_blank" title="Tarot of the Unknown (Kickstarter campaign)" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tarot of the Unknown (Kickstarter campaign)</a>
<a href="https://www.randocalrissianpresents.com/" target="_blank" title="Rando Calrissian Presents" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rando Calrissian Presents (creator's website and shop)</a>
Self-published
2019
79 cards
English
RWS
Stone Marseilles Tarot
Tarot de Marseille
78 cards + a signed, numbered edition card + an informational card in a hinged, flip-top box with a magnetic closure.<br /><br />There is also an outer box, offering a further measure of protection for the main box. The outer box is made of sturdy cardboard, printed with full-color images of the card backs and the URL for the artist's website. The deck's number is written in what appears to be black marker on one end of the outer box (#11/50).<br /><br />Cards measure 11.4 cm tall x 6 cm wide.<br /><br />The card stock is flexible, with a smooth matte finish.<br /><br />The cards have glossy, black edging that catches the light.<br /><br />The card back design is fully reversible.<br /><br />According to the information from the artist, this deck is based on the Nicolas Conver Marseilles tarot of 1760.<br /><br />Justice is VIII and Force (<em>Strength</em>) is XI. Le Mat (<em>The Fool</em>) is unnumbered. <br /><br />Suits are Coins, Batons, Cups, and Swords. Court cards are Page, Knight, Queen, and King. (The card titles are in French; I've listed the English-language equivalents here.)<br /><br />The minor arcana are illustrated in the Marseilles tradition.<br /><br />The deck was initially marketed and funded via Kickstarter. I was a backer of the campaign in 2019 at the "Early Bird Signed Limited Edition Deck" level, paying $67 for a signed, numbered, limited edition copy. <br /><br />My copy is #11 of 50.<br /><br />Copies of the deck are still available for sale through the artist's website: <a href="https://thelilystonequarry.com/product/stone-marseilles/" target="_blank" title="Stone Marseilles" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://thelilystonequarry.com/product/stone-marseilles/</a>
Stone, Lily
<a href="https://thelilystonequarry.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://thelilystonequarry.com/</a>
<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lilystone/the-stone-marseilles-tarot/description" target="_blank" title="Stone Marseilles Tarot (Kickstarter Campaign)" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stone Marseilles Tarot (Kickstarter Campaign)</a>
Self-published
2019
78 cards
English
TdM
#11 of 50
Wooden Tarot
Animals
26 cards + a signed, numbered title card with a LWB in a clear, plastic tuckbox.
Why 26 cards? The 22 majors are here, plus the 4 aces.
The cards are larger than average, measuring 15.2 cm x 10.2 cm.
The card stock is wonderfully flexible, and has a smooth, matte finish.
The backs are fully reversible.
Strength is 8 and Justice is 11. The Fool is numbered 0.
The art is beautiful and unique, featuring animals and wildlife. There are no humans in this deck, though two cards (The Devil and Judgement) both depict human skulls.
My copy is # 202 out of a limited edition of 1000. This deck initially began as a Kickstarter project, but I was not a backer -- I purchased my copy after the Kickstarter campaign, via Etsy.
I paid $30 USD for this deck on September 8, 2013.
Swartz, Amy
<a href="http://www.skullgarden.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">http://www.skullgarden.net/</a>
Skullgarden
2013
26 cards
English
Other
# 202 of 1000
Frau Grand Duchess Tarot
Collage art
Mid-twentieth century American culture
78 cards + LWB in a sub-par glossy white cardboard tuck box. The deck was self-published and there is no ISBN or URL anywhere on the cards, booklet, or box.
Cards measure 12.7 cm tall x 7.5 cm wide.
The card stock is marvelous -- a pleasure to handle and easy to shuffle. It is flexible, with a smooth, lightly glossy finish.
The box is the same on the back and the front -- plain, glossy white, with a small, black pentacle in one corner. The title of the deck appears on both sides of the box.
Backs are a reversible white pattern on a tan background.
Suits are Swords, Wands, Cups, and Coins. Courts are Page, Knight, Queen, and King.
The majors are unnumbered. Right out of the box, Justice appears in the 8th spot in the sequence and Force appears in the 11th spot in the sequence.
The minors are scenic. In terms of overall art style, this is a collage deck; the images look as if they were literally cut and pasted together from cards, magazines, newspapers, etc. The overall effect is charming and nostalgic; I'm really drawn to this deck. Another feature that gives the deck a nostalgic feel is the light green card background color; it's somewhere between the institutional green of old hospitals and public buildings, and the mint green that was/is sometimes seen in mid 20th century kitchen tables and appliances.
I have two copies of this deck, one of which is still in shrink wrap. I initially backed this deck on Kickstarter, pledging $40 USD for a copy on March 31, 2013. The project was funded on April 22, 2013, and the deck shipped in the summer of the same year.
I forgot about having backed the deck, and ordered another copy when they became available for sale on Etsy (I paid $25 USD on August 24, 2013).
Kruch, J.M.
(Jen Kruch)
Self-published
2013
78 cards
English
Other